Now Commenting On:

Diamond set to rejoin rotation on Saturday

Scott Diamond was the Twins' de facto ace in 2012, but the low-strikeout pitcher could see his ERA regress in 2013 if his control falters

By Robert Falkoff
/
Special to MLB.com |

KANSAS CITY -- The next stop for left-hander Scott Diamond is Target Field.

Diamond, who has battled back from left elbow surgery, put the finishing touches on his rehabilitation efforts with a side session on Wednesday in Fort Myers, Fla. There were no complications and Diamond is ready to rejoin the Twins' rotation.

Originally expected to go on Friday, Diamond has been pushed back to Saturday while Vance Worley gets the start in Friday's series opener against the Mets. General Manager Terry Ryan said the Twins will wait on announcing a corresponding roster move until it's time to activate Diamond.

"Everything went good," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said of Diamond's side session. "He should be flying to Minnesota and hopefully he'll beat the snow."

Diamond's arrival could be a huge boost for Minnesota's rotation if the left-hander picks up where he left off in 2012. He posted a 3.54 ERA in 27 starts and led the Twins' staff with 173 innings while compiling a 12-9 record.

"He led by example," Gardenhire said. "Scotty studies the game and prepares very well for the opposing team. He got us deep into games and won his fair share of them. He stepped up and did a real nice job for us. You have to be able to work both sides of the plate and Scotty does that."

Robert Falkoff is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.